Aside from our little (and giant) friends underwater, there are also ridiculous things that can be found under the seas. Project Blue Ilocos founder, Adem Inovejas, encountered a rug on a coral reef. 🤿 This rug is an example of marine debris.
Marine Debris? What are those? 🧐
Marine debris or marine litter is defined as any persistent, manufactured, or processed solid material discarded, disposed of, or abandoned in the marine and coastal environment. The common marine debris includes plastics, bottles, cigarette buds, fishing nets, and food packaging🥤🍬🧃
Marine debris greatly affects our marine life. It causes injury or death through drowning, entanglement, and internal injuries, or starvation following ingestion. According to Greenpeace, at least 267 different species have suffered from entanglement or ingestion of marine debris, including seabirds, turtles, seals, sea lions, whales, and fish 🐢🐳🐠
Hey Human! 👋🏽
Have you checked the labels of the products inside your refrigerator? inside your kitchen cupboard? or even in your bathroom? If you never had the chance to read them, go ahead and check them! 🏷
Have you seen a Coca-Cola product? How about a Nestlē product? or a Unilever one? 👀
These companies are part of the top 10 contributors of Marine Trash! Marine trash has been found on the shorelines of every continent, with higher concentrations near common tourist destinations and heavily populated areas. From surface waters to deep-sea sediments, waste plastic makes up 80 percent of all aquatic litter 🌊🥤🧃
You know what’s more alarming? These plastics have reached the deepest part of our oceans —locations that are seen as unreachable as the outer space! 🔭
For several decades now, humans have managed to throw tons and tons of garbage into the ocean. One of the most devastating elements of this pollution is that plastics take thousands of years to break down. As a result, fish and wildlife are poisoned.
This is not only affecting marine life but human beings are also feeling the effects of ocean pollution. Fish and marine creatures can ingest plastics and as a result whenever we consume them, toxic chemicals can also enter our diet! 🤢🤮
The culture of throw-away plastics should end now in order to save our planet. We should always opt for sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics and prohibit giant corporations from forcing them to us. Stop tolerating endless waste and start embracing an ecologically sound lifestyle! 🌏🌴🌊
